The present invention generally relates to methods and apparatus for exercising the abdominal muscles.
In the past there have been quite a variety of exercise apparatus available for exercising the abdominal muscles. One such apparatus includes an adjustable slant board with a pad for holding a user's feet in place while sit-ups are performed. Also available are machines in which a user sits and which have a movement arm connected to a weight stack. By moving a movement arm in a forward and downward direction against the resistance of the weight stack, a user can exercise the abdominal muscles. Another abdominal exercise apparatus rests on the floor and supports the upper half of a user's body while in a reclined position on the floor. These devices also have arm, head and neck pads for supporting a user's arms, head and neck respectively, and curved rocker components in contact with the floor. To exercise the abdominal muscles, the user does regular sit-ups aided by the fact that the apparatus rocks back and forth while providing head, neck and back support for the duration of the exercise.
Though the above apparatus are capable of exercising a user's abdominal muscles they do have certain drawbacks. The padded slant board device can cause severe neck and lower back pain. The weight stack apparatus in which the user sits can be uncomfortable to enter and exit and also uses over-head cables in the transmission mechanism which introduce unnecessary friction and wear in the system. The rocking apparatus in some cases does not allow a full range of exercise motion and the exercise can be inefficient.
A further and serious drawback of all of the prior-art devices mentioned above is that they fail to isolate the abdominal muscles of a user during the exercise. As a result, the user is not efficiently exercising the abdominal muscles, but rather he/she is also straining or exercising some other muscle group in the body. This condition lessens the overall quality of the user's workout, and can also lead to misleading results when recording one's abdominal muscle conditioning progress. Furthermore, failure to isolate the abdominal muscles also can cause lower back pain because the hip flexors are free to rotate the pelvis during the exercise. The hip flexors are attached at the base of the spine. When they are overworked, they become sore or inflamed causing lower back pain.
In summary the above-mentioned apparatus of the prior art can not only cause lower back pain they can also lessen the quality of the exercise.